Axolotl Translations

“Mm.”

Zuo Zhou crouched slightly, wrapped one arm securely around Shangguan Yu’s waist, and, with a swift motion, lifted him from the bathing stool and settled him into the wheelchair with practiced ease.

Though the entire movement lasted no more than five seconds, the sensation of Zuo Zhou’s broad, firm hand around his waist completely overwhelmed Shangguan Yu’s senses.

His gaunt frame was acutely aware of every ounce of Zuo Zhou’s strength, while his hypersensitive nose involuntarily took in the fresh, clean scent emanating from Zuo Zhou’s skin.

Zuo Zhou’s tall, powerfully built presence was impossible to ignore. Compared to him, Shangguan Yu felt unbearably thin, weak, and pale.

Unaccustomed to such close contact and burdened by a deep-seated insecurity about his own body, Shangguan Yu instinctively pushed him away the moment he was seated in the wheelchair.

“That’s enough,” he said coolly. “You can leave now.”

“……”

Zuo Zhou looked down at Shangguan Yu’s back, rigid with rejection, and after a brief pause, he said, “You should dry your hair. If not, you might catch a cold.”

“Mm.”

“Do you want me to help you…?”

“No need.”

“…Alright,” Zuo Zhou said softly, his tone respectful. “Then I’ll step out. Call me if you need anything.”

With that, he turned and walked toward the bathroom door.

Shangguan Yu took a deep breath, his gaze unconsciously following Zuo Zhou’s retreating figure. His eyes landed on the man’s long, well-defined legs beneath his loose shorts—lean, strong, with perfectly sculpted muscles, every line smooth and precise. They were undeniably pleasing to look at.

And his own…

Shangguan Yu’s gaze instinctively fell to his own legs.

Though hidden beneath loose pajama pants, he could picture them all too clearly—frail, sickly, utterly devoid of strength.

His lips pressed into a tight line. His hands clenched the fabric of his pajama pants, twisting the smooth material into a wrinkled mess.

Monday evening, after dinner, Shangguan Yu called Zuo Zhou to the living room. He gestured for him to sit down, saying there was something they needed to discuss.

Zuo Zhou understood immediately—this was about his position as a caregiver. He obediently sat on the sofa, his expression uncertain, his gaze fixed on Shangguan Yu, waiting for what would come next.

“You’ve done well these past few days. I’ll calculate your probationary salary based on the number of days worked and transfer it to you later,” Shangguan Yu said calmly.

“So… does that mean I’ve passed the probation period?” Zuo Zhou asked cautiously.

“That depends on whether you’re willing to stay.”

Zuo Zhou’s eyes lit up, and he immediately broke into a smile. “Of course, I’d love to stay!”

Shangguan Yu nodded. “Starting tomorrow, once your classes begin, will you be able to manage your schedule?”

“No problem at all! In our second year, we usually have general courses in the morning and specialized courses in the afternoon. There’s an elective on weekends. Wednesdays and Thursdays are the busiest, but on other days, I have no more than three classes.”

“In the mornings, I’ll prepare breakfast before I leave. If I have morning classes, I’ll also make lunch and leave it in the kitchen. You can just heat it up in the microwave when you’re ready to eat.”

“I’ll be back at noon, but you don’t have to wait for me to eat. For dinner, it’ll work the same way—if I have afternoon classes, I’ll prepare it in advance.”

“As for cleaning, I’ll take care of it the night before. If you ever need me to do anything else, just let me know. I’ll try my best to take care of it.”

“That should be fine for now.” Shangguan Yu gave a small nod, but deep down, he wasn’t too optimistic about how long Zuo Zhou would actually last.

Although Shangguan Yu was quite satisfied with the boy—especially since his cooking suited his taste—Zuo Zhou was still a full-time university student. No matter what, studies would always be his top priority.

That’s why Shangguan Yu wasn’t sure how long Zuo Zhou could keep up with the job or whether he’d be able to balance work and studies.

That said, since they were following a “work first, pay later” arrangement, Shangguan Yu had little to worry about. As long as Zuo Zhou could manage his time well, he had no objections to keeping him around.

Unaware of the thoughts running through Shangguan Yu’s mind in just a few short seconds, Zuo Zhou nodded firmly and flashed him a bright, sincere smile. “Thank you, Brother Yu! I won’t let you down!”

The next morning, when Shangguan Yu woke up, it was already close to 8 a.m.

He reached for his phone, checked the time, and noticed a message from Zuo Zhou on WeChat. Tapping on it, he read:

“Brother Yu, breakfast is in the kitchen. If it gets cold, remember to reheat it. Just leave the dishes there—I’ll clean them up when I get back.”

“I’ll be back at noon to make lunch. Wait for me.”

Attached was a photo of a vast blue sky with fluffy white clouds, the caption read: “The weather is great today.”

Shangguan Yu stared at the photo for a moment before simply replying with a “Got it.” Then, he got up to wash up.

By the time Shangguan Yu entered the living room, Zuo Zhou was already gone. He wasn’t sure when the boy had left. His bedroom door was open, and on the tatami mat, the pillow and blanket were neatly folded and stacked in one corner.

The dining table was already set with bowls and chopsticks. In the kitchen, the rice cooker held a pot of steaming eight-treasure porridge, while the steamer contained large, freshly cooked buns that were still hot. On the stove, there was a plate of side dishes, carefully covered with another plate to keep them fresh.

Shangguan Yu touched the plate and found that the temperature was just right. Without further ado, he served himself and ate right there in the kitchen.

When alone, he always ate there. Carrying dishes back and forth was too much of a hassle, and there was no real need for it.

By the time Zuo Zhou returned home, it was already past eleven.

As soon as he stepped inside, he called out cheerfully, “Brother Yu, I’m back!”

At that moment, Shangguan Yu was sitting in his roomquietly browsing the internet. The house had been peaceful, so Zuo Zhou’s sudden shout startled him so much that he jolted in surprise.

“……”

Hearing no response, Zuo Zhou continued to call out, “Brother Yu! Brother Yu, where are you? I brought you something delicious, Brother Yu!”

“…Here.”

With a resigned sigh, Shangguan Yu raised his voice to reply, steering his wheelchair toward the bedroom door.

Shangguan Yu had barely opened the door when he saw Zuo Zhou standing there, a paper cup in hand, his face full of excitement.

The moment he saw Shangguan Yu, Zuo Zhou’s eyes brightened and eagerly held out the cup, presenting it as if it were a prized treasure. Then, he crouched down and looked up at him. “Brother Yu, freshly squeezed sugarcane juice—quick, drink it!”

Shangguan Yu took the cup and brought it to his lips, taking a small sip. The familiar, mellow sweetness of sugarcane spread through his mouth.

“How is it? Does it taste good?” Zuo Zhou’s dark, bright eyes remained fixed on him, full of anticipation.

“Mm. It’s good.”

This was the second time Zuo Zhou had crouched down beside his wheelchair, looking up at him from such a close distance.

From this angle, Shangguan Yu could clearly see his own reflection in Zuo Zhou’s eyes. For a brief moment, it gave him an odd illusion, as if, within Zuo Zhou’s gaze, he was the only thing that existed.

The sensation left Shangguan Yu at a loss. Ever since the accident, he had grown used to tilting his head up to look at others. Yet, Zuo Zhou was the first person willing to crouch down and look up at him instead.

A strange emotion surged in his chest. Uncertain how to meet Zuo Zhou’s gaze, Shangguan Yu turned his head slightly to the side.

But Zuo Zhou, unaware of his inner turmoil, simply grinned, his lips curling into a bright, carefree smile. “That’s great! I saw someone selling it near the subway station, and I remembered you like it…”

Suddenly, Zuo Zhou paused mid-sentence, as if something had just occurred to him. Then, acting as though nothing had happened, he casually changed his words. “It just seemed fresh, so I thought you might want to try it.”

“Mm.” Still unaccustomed to Zuo Zhou’s closeness and the way he looked up at him, Shangguan Yu didn’t notice the subtle shift in his tone. “Where’s yours?”

“I didn’t get one. I don’t like sweet things.” Zuo Zhou blinked, then grabbed the wheelchair handles and stood up. “I’ll start making dinner. I passed by the market earlier and picked up a lot of fresh ingredients—should be enough for the next couple of days.”

Shangguan Yu watched Zuo Zhou’s retreating figure, feeling like something about his words didn’t quite sit right. But he couldn’t pinpoint what it was, so he let it go. Instead, he raised the paper cup and took another big sip of the sugarcane juice.

Mm, so sweet.

Before the accident, Shangguan Yu had always had a fondness for sweets. But after everything that had happened, the things that could still bring him joy had dwindled. Sweet foods were one of the few things that remained.

So, with each sip of fresh sugarcane juice, his mood lifted. As he drank, he slowly made his way to the living room.

In the kitchen, Zuo Zhou had already put on that ridiculously ugly red apron with the ham print and was cooking with great enthusiasm. Worried about the smoke escaping, he had even thoughtfully closed the kitchen’s glass door.

n the living room, scattered across the coffee table, the TV stand, and even the balcony, a few pots of lush green plants had mysteriously appeared—plants Shangguan Yu couldn’t even name.

He had always liked having plants around, despite being a notorious plant killer. After the accident, he had stopped trying altogether.

The sight of the vibrant greenery scattered throughout the house lifted Shangguan Yu’s mood even further.

He maneuvered his wheelchair closer to each plant, savoring the sweetness of the sugarcane juice while running his fingers over the delicate leaves, relishing the faint sensation as they brushed against his skin.

Lost in the moment, Shangguan Yu failed to notice that in the kitchen, Zuo Zhou had paused his cooking at some point. He had turned around quietly, watching him for a moment before a faint smile appeared on his lips.

Just like that, Zuo Zhou’s first week of balancing school and his role as a live-in caregiver passed smoothly. Much to Shangguan Yu’s surprise, Zuo Zhou had an impressive ability to manage his time—his studies didn’t suffer, nor did his care for Shangguan Yu’s daily meals and needs. Shangguan Yu even started to think that maybe, just maybe, Zuo Zhou could keep up with this routine for a while.

On Friday evening, as they sat across from each other at the dining table, a soft noise suddenly broke the peaceful silence.

Zuo Zhou looked up, slightly puzzled, glancing toward the source of the sound.

Shangguan Yu followed his gaze and casually said, “Oh, it’s my phone. It’s on the coffee table—could you get it for me?”

Since Shangguan Yu rarely socialized, his phone almost never rang, which was why Zuo Zhou hadn’t immediately recognized the sound.

At the words, Zuo Zhou paused briefly, then smiled. “Sure.”

He stood up, walked over to the coffee table, and picked up the phone. Before turning around to hand it to Shangguan Yu, he squinted slightly, taking a glance at the name displayed on the screen.

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